How did you end up at the University of Illinois Archives? Tell us about your background.
I once thought I would be an Archaeologist or Cultural Anthropologist traveling the world studying the material remains of our cultural past or studying living Cultures very different from my own, but I never felt ready for the rigors of the PhD program. Eventually, I found my way to Library & Information Sciences and the beauty of rare books. I thought that I wanted to be a Rare Books Librarian. The world of Rare Books appeared to be fascinating and beautiful, but as I learned more about it, I found that something was missing. I couldn’t find everyday people. I found myself searching for the hidden gems of ethnographic stories and culture. The hidden original stories or secrets that attracted me to Librarianship. I was looking for that spark that 5-year-old me snoop through drawers and made me want to learn about cultures other than my own. I was looking for the forgotten, people’s secrets, and early histories. I was looking for archival materials. I just didn’t realize it. I left my Rare Books class having gained an appreciation for Rare Books but still wondering where the letters and diaries of the maids and pipe fitters were.
After graduating from the University of Illinois’ Graduate School of Library & Information Science (now School of Information Sciences) in 2006, I headed to the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. While refining my skills as a subject and instruction Librarian I was introduced to the institution’s University Archives. I finally found the secrets, stories and culture I was searching for. I learned all I could about archival methodology while I was a subject and instruction Librarian in Florida.
Eventually, I was fortunate enough to find my way back to my hometown of Urbana, Illinois and a position at the University of Illinois Archives. Here, in the Archives, I found what attracted me to the information field in the first place: culture, history, people, evidence of human interactions. Documents that tell stories of multiple cultural systems. They are all here waiting to be discovered and shared.
What are your responsibilities?
Much of my time is spent providing reference and research services to our onsite and remote researchers/users and providing Archival Instruction to campus classes and other visiting groups. Archival Instruction involves an introduction to the archival research process, and if needed collaborating with faculty on how to incorporate archival materials into their course work.
What excites you most about your role? What are some plans/ideas you have in mind?
The University of Illinois Archives’ holdings are massive and continue to grow every day and there is always a chance for a brand-new fact about the University to come to light or a forgotten historic gem to be rediscovered. This excites me and makes me feel like the private detective in an old Film noir.
Currently, everyone in University Archives is focused on our upcoming move. I am personally focused on ways that I can support my unit and colleagues during this time, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not keeping a list of exhibit topics and presentation ideas as they come to me.
What are the most interesting/challenging/fun aspects of the job?
One of my colleagues mentioned in her interview that another colleague said that we get to read other people’s mail and diaries for a living, and I’m here to say…that was me! I can’t think of any other job where you get to do that and I love it! It is a wonderful way to learn about history. Helping someone read cursive writing when they have never seen cursive writing is very rewarding. I love seeing an entire classroom “reliving” the past just by reading the documents in front of them. And I love pulling out a record group of materials that appear to be boring only for the students to learn about an out-of-control bonfire that was started from a beanie bonfire. What!!